Lyr Add: New Buryin' Ground

Subject: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 10:19 PM

NEW BURYIN' GROUND

Cho.
Oh, come along, come along, let's go to buryin', (3 times)
Way over, way over in de new buryin' ground. (whoof!)

Sinners, don't you hear my Lord a-callin', (Whuff!)
O sinners, don't you hear, hear my Lord a-callin',
O sinners, don't you hear my Lord a-callin'
Way over, over in de buryin' ground. (Whoo!)

Oh, de hammer keep a-ringin',(Hoo!) ringin' on somebody's coffin, (3 times)
Way over, (Come here!) over in de new buryin' ground. (Whuff!)

Oh, de hearse keep a-rollin', rollin' somebody to the graveyard, (Come here, boy!) (3 times)
Way over, (Water boy!), over in de new buryin' ground.

De preacher keep a-preachin, preachin' somebody's fun'ral, etc.
Sometimes I pray like, pray like my time ain't long, etc.
Sometimes I feel like, feel like my time ain't long, etc.

Sung by John Brown and group of convicts, State Prison, Raiford, Florida, who do a near professional job, with interjections. Coll. by John and Ruby Lomax, 1939 Southern States Recording Trip (classified as spiritual). Can be heard by selecting audio subject, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/lohtml/lohome.html
@work @prison @religion @spiritual

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Nov 01 - 02:57 AM

According to Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943 (Oxford), 6 recordings were made before 1943: John Brown (see above), Phil Butler, New Zion Church Congregations, Shelby Gospel Four, Unidentified Singers and Groups, and Willie Williams. The following CDs are available:

(1) Shelby Gospel Four (on V.A., Carolina Gospel Quartets, Vol. 1 1938 - 1939, Documnet DOCD-5445)
(2) Willie Willimas and Group (on V.A., Virginia Traditions: Virginia Work Songs, Global Village Music CD 1007) [note--"Not all of the group worksongs intoned by Afro-American prisoners functioned to pace unison activity, nor were all of these choruses of a secular nature. 'The New Burying Ground,' for example, is an old, rather uncommon spiritual performed her[e] by a group of inmates led by Willie Williams. It is representative of those songs sung by prisoners working in close proximity at tasks which did not require coordinated efforts. Its purpose, thus, was more to relieve tedium and communicate information than to establish a common rhythm."]
And a gospel version:
(3) Marion Williams, Strong Again (Spirit Feel 1013)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Nov 01 - 09:04 AM

John and Ruby Lomax 1939 recorded two other groups singing New Buryin' Ground, both in the northwestern part of South Carolina. One refers to "buryin' in Newberry town", in that area; otherwise these differ little from the one reproduced above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Stewie
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 09:03 PM

It seems the Willie Williams Group version has a nod towards the 'Po' Lazarus' ballad with a stanza 'It must have been Lazarus that the people was buryin'' and another 'It must have been the captain that the people was buryin''. The tune used by Williams is not a million miles away from the 'Po Lazarus' one either.

The 'Virginia Traditions' album cited above by Masato also has a version of 'Lazarus' by William Thompson and a group of 7 singers. This has a burying stanza which is unusual in the versions I have heard - they normally conclude with Lazarus being laid on the commissary counter or with his mother crying. This goes farther than the mother 'screamin' and a-cryin':

They buried ol' Lazarus (oh Lordy)
Buried him in a brand new casket (couplet x2)
Down in the grave (oh Lordy)
Lord, Lord, in his grave

In Virginia at least, there may have been a connection.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 09:48 PM

Poor Lazarus is given in this thread Here
A longer version, "Po' Laz'us" is in Lomax and Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs, 1934,p. 91-93. This "Negro bad man ballad" does not seem to be related to New Buryin' Ground in the versions that I have; one that couples them would be very interesting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 09:51 PM

Well, I'll try again. Here

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 09:54 PM

I really thought I saw a link that said DT/forum already had this.............? Is this a different version?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Jan 02 - 10:00 PM

My click (the 2nd one that worked) is to the Forum posting by Joe Offer of Poor Lazarus. The verse cited by Stewie is not in it, nor in the Lomax reference. I haven't heard the Willie Williams take on this one, so I don't know how close the two are. Perhaps Stewie will post the Williams version?

Subject: Lyr Add: NEW BURYING GROUND
From: Stewie
Date: 14 Jan 02 - 01:04 AM

NEW BURYING GROUND

Oh come on, come on, let's go to burying (x3)
Way over, over in the new burying ground

Oh hammer keep a-ringing on somebody's coffin (x3)
Well over, over on the new burying ground

Oh it must have been Lazarus that the people was buryin' (x3)
Way over, over in the new burying ground

Oh come on, come on, let's go to burying (x3)
Way over, over in the new burying ground

It must have been the captain that the people was buryin' (x3)
Way over, over in the new burying ground

Source: transcription of Willie Williams and Group 'Virginia Traditions: Virginia Work Songs' Global Music CD-1007

--Stewie.

Subject: Add: 'LAZARUS'
From: Stewie
Date: 14 Jan 02 - 01:46 AM

Here is the Virginian work song version of 'Lazarus'. I am not certain of 'head' in stanza 3. 'Oh lordy' is sung by single voice.

LAZARUS
(Traditional)

Old man Lazarus, (oh lordy) sittin' on that commissary counter (x2)
He walked away, (oh lordy), lord, lord, he walked away

The judge told the high sheriff, (oh lordy) 'Go and bring me Lazarus' (x2)
'Dead or alive', (oh lordy), 'lord, lord, dead or alive'

Spoken (single voice): Let's get him, man, let's get him

They found old Lazarus, (oh lordy), way down 'tween 2 mountains (x2)
His head ? hangin' down, (oh lordy), lord, lord, his head hangin' down

They shot old Lazarus, (oh lordy) shot him with a great big number (x2)
A forty-four, (oh lordy), lord, lord a forty-four

Well Lazarus' mother, (oh lordy), she come screamin' and a-hollerin' (x2)
'You shot my son', (oh lordy), 'lord, lord, shot my son'

They buried old Lazarus, (oh lordy), buried him in a brand new casket (x2)
Down in his grave, (oh lordy), lord, lord down in his grave

Source: transcription of William Thompson (lead) with John Ball, William Carter, E.B. Chewning, Capt Matthew Gaskins, Aurelius Henderson, William Johnson, Eddie Laws, Benjamin Smith and William Smith 'Lazarus' on 'Virginia Traditions: Virginia Work Songs' Global Village CD-1007.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: masato sakurai
Date: 14 Jan 02 - 04:36 AM

Thanks, Stewie. I've got the CD, but wasn't able to transcribe it.
~Masato

Subject: Lyr Add: NEW BURYING GROUND
From: masato sakurai
Date: 14 Jan 02 - 06:04 AM

There's another song with the same title "New Burying Ground," among those collected with music by William E. Barton and published in 1899. I think it's worth posting here for comparison.

NEW BURYING GROUND

1-- O, my Lord, Good and kind,
Take the little babe, Leave its mother behind.
Tomorrow's the day, First goin' by,
Take the little babe, To the new buryin' ground.
Open the grave, Let him down,
There he's goin t'lay Till the Judgment day.
Judgment day! God's a callin'! Stars a-fallin'!
Cahriot's comin' down To the new burying ground!
O, Jesus, come this away!
Let not your chariot wheels delay!
Want you to live humble-l-humble-l-
Humble yourselves! The bells done rung,
Bells done ring, Angels done sing.
O don't it look like a judgment day?

Gwine to glory an'-a-honor! Praise Jesus!
Gwine to glory an'-a-honor! Praise the Lamb.

2-- All along down by de watery shore,
De waters run steady, level as a die;
Hearse come down next day gone by;
Take de ill babe to new burying ground.
Yes, I went down to the valley to pray,
Met ole Satan on de way.
Look out, satan, out my way!
Took my sword an' cut him down;
Satan shot one ball at me;
Missed my soul and got my sin.

Refrain.

3-- O, no, brethering, dat ain't all,--
Golden girdle round my waist,
Starry crown upon my head,
Palm of victory in my hand.

Refrain.

4-- I went to meeting on a certain day,
Went fo' to hear what de preacher say.
Bout de time dat I got in,
Spoke one word condemned my sin.
Went back home an' counted de cost,
Heard what a treasure I had lost.

Refrain.

5-- Yes, mysteree! Come and see!
Heard a great voice shoutin' in de new buryin' ground.
B for book and be forgiven,
Wrote by wise men sent from heaven.
If you want to go to heaven when you dies,
Stop you long tongue from telling lies.
Stars a-fallin'! God's a-callin'!
Don't dat look judgment day?

Refrain.

6-- I went down by the tottery sho',
Found a ship all ready to go
Cap'n he come, troubled in mind,
"Wake up! wake up, you sleep, sleepy man!"
O, cap'n, if it's me,
Pray you cast me overboard!
Cast Brer Jonah overboard;
Whale did swaller Brer Jonah whole.
Three long nights, three long days,
Jonah lied in de body of de whale.
Las' words I hear Brer Jonah say,
He had no place to lie his head.
God commanded fish to land,
Cast Brer Jonah on dry sand.
Gourd vine growed all over his head.
Inchworm come long and cut it down.

Refrain.

7-- Hit 'em wid de hammer cryin', "Sinner, repent!"
Wrought sorrow in de Jedge-e-ment.
Green trees burn, and why not dry?
Sinner man die, and why not I?
Sea ob glass all full of fire,
I'm gwine to jine God's heavenly choir.
H for Hannah, happy was she,
Lill boy Samuel on her knee.
B for book an' God forgiven,
Young child Jesus came from heaven.

Refrain.

8-- Sing ole hymn at new buryin' ground,
Dar gwine lay his body down.
He gave me pree, and sot me free
An' bought my soul from libertee.
Death come along at break of day,
Take de lill baby on his way.
Give me a horn and tell me to blow,
Come along, don't you want to go?
Bell done ring, angels done sing,
God's A'mighty bought my heart and tongue.
Went down hill, fell on my knees,
Help me, Jesus, if you please.

Refrain.

(SOURCE: Bernard Katz, ed., The Social Implications of Early Negro Music in The United States (Arno/The New York Times, 1969, pp. 108-109).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 02:00 PM

Above are indexed

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 03:18 PM

My Group does New Burying Ground, which we learned from a recording by the Sensational Nightingales. The lyrics are:

Oh, I wonder can you hear, those church bells tollin'
I wonder can you hear, those church bells tollin'
I wonder can you hear, those church bells tollin'
Way over yonder, way over yonder, way over yonder
In the new burying ground

I wonder can you see, those hearse wheels rollin'
I wonder can you see, those hearse wheels rollin'
I wonder can you see, those hearse wheels rollin'(BR> Way over yonder, way over yonder, way over yonder
In the new burying ground

They kept on rollin', 'till they carried my Father
They kept on rollin', 'till they carried my Father
They kept on rollin', 'till they carried my Father
Way over yonder, way over yonder, way over yonder
In the new burying ground

And what about my Mother?
Way over yonder
She's way over there
Way over yonder
And what about my Sister?

etc.

It sounds much better than it looks. It will be on the CD we're recording.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 03:33 PM

Thanks Jerry.

If you add any more to this or other threads, that are Negro spirituals, or you suspect they are, or they were based on same.... could you list them for me in the Permathread? If they have a different title from the ones already posted in that thread? That way I can be sure they get indexed.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 12 Feb 02 - 05:39 PM

Hi, Susan: I'd be glad to... don't know how. Tell me, and I'll add them to the Permathread list...
Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NEW BURYIN' GROUND
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 02 Oct 07 - 08:25 PM

Thanks for this, I have the recording from 1936 but could not understand certain things, now i do. One of the greatest songs ever sung!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: New Buryin' Ground
From: Azizi
Date: 03 Oct 07 - 08:03 PM

Here's a link to a Youtube video that has different words than what is posted above. I'm not sure if it's the same song or not. But in any event, this video clip may be of interest to some folks reading this thread:

Lonnie Donegan Chris Barber - Over the new burying ground

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WK64SXvhps

Added: March 03, 2007 ;From: bisonmik

**

I was interested to see one of the musicians in that video played a form of a washboard known as a rub-board or frottoir. I believe this percussion instrument is most closely associated with Louisiana Zydeco music. I'm curious, is this instrument usually in Lonnie Donegan's band?